Suction cleaner



Feb. 1, 1944. E. R. SWANN SUCTION CLEANER Filed March 29, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Edward R. Sula/m BY W ATTOR N EY S M53. 1, W44. E. R. SWANN 2,340,440

SUCTION CLEANER Filed March-29, 1941 s Sheets-Sheet 2 1 INVENTOR Edward B. Swalm 7 1 ATTORNEYS Feb. 1 1944.

E. R. SWANN SUCTION CLEANER Filed March 29. 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IIZ //3 ATTORNEYS Fatenied Feb. 1, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,340,440 suorros CLEANER Edward R. Swarm, North Canton, Ohio, minor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio. a corporation of Ohio Application March 29, 1941, Serial No. 385,835

(Cl. ISL-12) 6 Claims.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved suction cleaner. Another object is to provide a suction cleaner embodying a cord take-up device. A further object is to provide a suction cleaner in which the cord storage chamber is non-rotatable. Another object is toprovide a suction cleaner embodying novel means for feeding a cord into the cord storage chamber. Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following specification and drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of a suction cleaner including one embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a broken sectional view of the cord feeding and storage means shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section along line l3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a side elevation partly in section of another embodiment of the invention, and

Figure 5 is a side elevation partly in section of a suction cleaner including another embodimerit of the invention.

One embodiment of the invention is disclosed in Figures 1 to 3 and comprises a suction cleaner having a body l provided with a nozzle II, a top wall l2 and depending side walls l3. Supported on the body H1 at the forward end thereof is a vertically mountedmotor l4 which operates a fan l disposed in a fan chamber it formed in the body l0. Rotation of the fan i 5 removes dirt from the surface being cleaned through the nozzle ll into the fan chamber I6 and discharges the dirt through an exhaust passageway i1 into a dirt bag I! removably attached to a flange l9 at the rear end of the cleaner body Ill. The cleaner is supported on front and rear wheels and 2|, respectively, and is propelled over the surface being cleaned by a handle 22 in a ball 23 pivotally supported on a handle bracket 24 mounted on the body l0 rearwardly of the motor l4. A housing 25 is supported on the body l0 and encloses the motor 14 and handle bracketfl. I

The cord take-up embodied in the suction cleaner comprises a cord controlling or feeding means 28 on the cleaner handle 22 and a cord container 29. The cord container 29 comprises a bottom section 30 and an upper section 3|, the latter having an annular sidewall 32 and a top wall 33 from which upwardly projects a centrally disposed conical section 34 having a cord opening 35 at its upper end. Disposed within the container 29 is a member 38 of conical conilg-uration having its lower peripheral wall 31' spaced from the side wall 32 to form therewith an annular cord storage chamber ll, and having its conical portion 35 spaced from the conical portion 34 of the upper casing section ii to form therewith an annular space 40 through which the cord 4| travels into and out of the cord stora e chamber 38. The lower end of the cord 4| extends through an opening 42 in the bottom casing section 30 of the container 29 and is rigidly attached to the exterior thereof by a clamp 41. Mounted on the top wall 33 of the cord container is the handle bracket which has a pair of spaced arms 44 to pivotally support the handle 22 adjacent the cord opening 35 in the cord storage container 29.

The cord controlling or feeding device 28 functions to removably store the cord 4| in the container 29 and comprises a casing 45, one portion of which has a rear wall 45 and an annular wall 41 defining a chamber 45 which is closed by a cover plate 49 removably attached to the casingside wall 41 by screws 50. A hollow tube 5| extends through the casing 45 and its opposite ends are disposed in the casing side wall 41, whereby the cord 4| may travel through the tube 5|. Diametrically opposed portions or the hollow tube 5| are cut away as at 54 and 55 to expose the cord 4| as it travels through the tube.

of the cord exposed in the opening 54 in the tube 5|. A relatively small friction wheel is journalled on a shaft 5| carried by a bracket 62 having one end 63 pivotally supported on the casing side wall 41, and; the wheel 60 is forced into engagement withthe cord exposed in the opening 55 by means of thespring B4 interposed between the opposite end 65 of the bracket 62 and the casing side wall 41. The opposite ends of the shaft 6| slide in adjacent elongated depressions as, as mine casing 45 when the bracket 62 moves on its pivot,- and the opening 51 in the bracket 62 is elongated to accommodate any translatory movement of the shaft iii in the depressions 84, 85. The cord feeding means 28 is rigidly attached to the upper end of the handle 22 by means of rivets 68. A flexible conduit 69 extends from the tube iii to the opening 35 at the top of the conical section 34 of the cord storage container to guide the cord H between the cord feeding means and the cord storage container. Current is supplied to the motor I4 by means of the cord II, the lower ends 10 of which are attached to leads TI and 72 extending to the motor and an unshown switch in the handle 22.

In the operation of the cleaner, the crank 58 is rotated in clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 1, and causes the wheels 56 and 60 to rotate and exert a force longitudinally along the cord M to uncoil the latter from the storage chamber 38, and as it does so the cord moves upwardly and circumferentially in the annular passageway 40 about the conical member 39. If it is desired to store the cord, the crank 58 is rotated in counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Figure l, which causes the friction wheels 56 and 60 to move the cord downwardly through the flexible conduit 69. As the cord is stored, it moves downwardly and circumferentially about the conical member 39 and is coiled, as indicated in Figure 2. Due to the relative stillness of the cord 4| and the longitudinal force exerted on the cord by the wheels 56 and 60, the cord is placed under a compression force which moves the cord radially outwardly from the member 36 and forms in horizontal coils along the outer peripheral wall 32 of the storage chamber 38 and remains in coils unsupported by the member 30. During rotation of the crank 58, the Wheel 60 is rotated by movement of the cord AI in the tube 5| and the spring 64 exerts a force on the Wheel 60 whereby the latter urges the cord into frictional engagement against the feed wheel 56 with uniform pressure.

Another embodiment of the invention is disclosed in Figure 4 and comprises a suction cleaner having a body 15 provided with a nozzle I6 communicating with a vertical fan chamber V0 in which is an unshown fan for exhausting dirtladen air into a dust bag 19. The cleaner body is mounted on wheels 80 and is propelled over the surface to be cleaned by a handle BI supported in a bail 82 pivotally mounted at 83 to the cleaner body. A horizontally mounted motor is enclosed in a housing 84 disposed within and spaced from the rearwardly extending body portion 85 and extends rearwardly from the fan chamber 18.

The body portion 85 is formed in two removable sections 86 and 81, and the rear wall 88 of the latter is provided with a rearwardly extending conical section 89 having a cord opening 90 at its extreme end. The motor housing 84 is provided with a rearwardly extending conical section 9I spaced from the conical portion 89 of the body section 81 to form therewith an annular space 92 through which the cord ll travels. An annular partition 93 extends from the motor housing 84 to the inner periphery of the body section 81 and forms therewith and with the housing 84, an annular cord storage chamber 95.

The cord controlling means for feeding the cord 4! with respect to the cord storage chamber 94 is similar to that shown in Figure 3 and is mounted at the upper end of the handle 8|.

In operation of the cleaner, the crank 58 is rotated in one direction to rotate the friction wheels 56 and 50 whereby the cordis fed into the cord chamber 94, and causes the cord II to form in vertical coils about the motor housing 84. Due to the relative stiffness of the cord 4| and the pressure exerted at all times longitudinally along the cord it by the friction wheels 53 and 60, the cord is placed under compression and travels circumferentially in the annular passag way 92 to form in coils along the outer peripheral wall of the body section 9? and remains spaced from the motor housing 50 whereby the cord will not tangle in the cord storage chamber 94. When the crank 58 is rotated in the opposite direction to pay out the cord, the latter is always under the longitudinal pressure set up therein by the friction wheels 55 and 50 and will uncoil without collapsing. A further embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 5 and comprises a conventional cylinder type suction cleaner having a body formed in two sections 96 and 97. In one end of the body section 96 is a hose 98 provided with an unshown floor engaging nozzle, and the opposite end of the body section 95 has a radial wall 99 from which rearwardly projects a conical sec tion I00 terminating in a tubular member IOI. Arranged in the body section 96 is an unshown dirt bag, suction creating fan, and a horizontal motor enclosed in a housing I02 which is spaced from the peripheral wall I03 of the body section 96 to form an annular discharge air passageway I04. The rear end of the motor housing I02 has a conical section I05 spaced from the conical section I00 and forms with the latter an annular space I06 in which the cord H travels. A partition I0! is arranged between the body wall I03 and the motor housing I02 to form therewith an annular cord storage chamber m8 for the cord The body portion 97 is provided at its extreme end with a re-entrant tubular member I09 spaced from the end of the tubular member IM to form a space I I0 in which the cord 4| is exposed. Arranged in the body portion 9? is a cord controlling device Hl for feeding the cord to and from the storage chamber I08. The cord feeding device comprises a relatively large friction wheel I I2 rotatably mounted in the side walls of the body section 91 and is rotated by a crank H3. The periphery of the wheel H2 is provided with a friction material which engages that portion of the cord which is exposed in the space H0. A relatively small friction wheel H4 is arranged di ametrically opposite the large wheel H2 and is journalled on a bracket H5 pivotally supported on the wall I I6 of the body portion 97. A torsion spring II! at all times urges the wheel 504 into contact with the cord exposed in the space 889 and forces the cord into frictional engagement with the large wheel H2.

When the motor is operating, the dirt is removed from the surface being cleaned and passes through the hose 98 into the dirt filtering bag within the body portion 96 and thereafter the air is expelled through the openings H9 and 829 in the partition I01 and body rear wall 99 respectively, and is discharged into the atmosphere through an opening I 2I in the rear wall of the body section 91. In operation of the suction cleaner, the cord II is removed from the storage chamber I08 by rotating the crank H3 which rotates the friction wheels H2 and IM, whereby the latter exert a force longitudinally along the cord in a direction away from the cleaner without causing the Rum into the storage chamber I08. Due to the relative stiffness of the cord 4| and the longitudinal force exerted by the friction wheels H2 and III, the cord is placed under compression and travels circumferentially in the annular passageway I" to form the coils I22 along the outer peripheral wall of the storage chamber I08 and remains coiled unsupported by the member I05.

From the foregoing it will be perceived that the corn take-up comprises a cord feeding and storage device which may be combined as a unit orseparately arranged in different locations on the cleaner, that the cord storage means is nonrotatable and that the cord feeding means function to exert a longitudinal force on the cord whereby the latter remains in coils in the storage chamber without the necessity of a center support,

I claim:

1. A suction cleaner, comprising an ambulatory body, a motor on said body, an electric cord connected to said motor, a housing for said motor, said motor housing being spaced from walls of said body to form a reelless stationary cord storage chamber, and means for feeding a cord about said motor housing into said storage chamber.

2. A suction cleaner, comprising an ambulatory body, a motor on said body, an electric cord connected to said motor, a housing for said motor, said motor housing being spaced frm walls of said body to form a cord storage chamber, and rotatable cord feeding means formed in said cleaner body including means for guiding the cord to said storage chamber, said feeding means engaging the cord to impart movement to the cord to coil the latter about said motor housing in said storage chamber.

3. A suction cleaner, comprising an ambulatory body, a motor on said body, an electric cord connected to said motor, a housing for said motor, said motor housing being spaced from walls of said body to form a cord storage chamber, a handle pivotally mounted on said body, and cord feeding means mounted on said handle, said feeding means engaging the cord to impart movement thereto to coil the cord about said motor housing in said storage chamber.

4. A suction cleaner, comprising an ambulatory cleaner body, a motor on said body, an electric cord connected to said motor, a non-rotatable casing on said body and having a cord storage section and a projecting cord entrance casing section having an annular interior surface and an aperture for said cord, said cord arranged in said casing and passing through said aperture, and means engaging said cord exteriorly of said casing for feeding said cord through said aperture and circumferentially along the interior of said stationary projecting casing section during the linear travel of said cord to form said cord in coils which press radially outwardly against the inner eriphery of said storage casing section.

5. A suction cleaner, comprising an ambulatory cleaner body, a motor on said body, an electric cord connected to said motor, a handle pivotally connected to said body, a non-rotatable cord storage casing on said body and having an annular space for movement of said cord circumferentially in said annular space during linear movement of said cord, and cord-feeding means on said handle, said feeding means engaging said cord for feeding said cord circumferentially in said annular space in said stationary cord storage casing during linear travel of said cord into said casing to form said cord in coils in said casing.

6. A suction cleaner, comprising an ambulatory body, a motor on said body, an electric cord connected to said motor, a casing concentric with said motor to form a. stationary cord storage chamber and an annular space therebetween for circumferential travel of sa id cord in said annular space, and means engaging said cordto impart linear movement thereto to move said cord circumferentially in said annular space during linear travel of said cord to form the latter in coils in said casing.

EDWARD R. SWANN. 

